Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
78%Acceptance rate
$19,589Average net price / year
69%Graduation rate
$66,990Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$22,578Median debt at graduation
2,401Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $52,254
- Total cost of attendance
- $62,459
- Room & board
- $13,008
- Books & supplies
- $785
- Average net price
- $19,589
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $13,609
- $30–48k
- $12,948
- $48–75k
- $15,756
- $75–110k
- $22,535
- $110k+
- $26,915
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 78.0%
- Average SAT
- 1168
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 540–660
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 500–600
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 22–28
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 69%
- First-year retention
- 82%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $52,212
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $66,990
- Median debt (graduates)
- $22,578
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.1%
- Students with Pell grants
- 35%
- Students with federal loans
- 44%
Programs: what graduates earn
29 of 61 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 24 | $89,189 | $82,634 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 76 | $74,828 | $34,896 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 25 | $58,626 | $39,150 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 17 | $53,259 | $72,057 |
Doctoral degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | $104,932 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 2,401
- Graduate students
- 599
- Part-time
- 2%
- Women / men
- 64% / 36%
- White
- 45%
- Hispanic
- 19%
- Black
- 5%
- Asian
- 10%
- International
- 5%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 12:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $77,229 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 70%
- Accreditor
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Website
- www.plu.edu
- Also known as
- PLU
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 4% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 3% of degrees
- Education – 4% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 7% of degrees
- Parks, Recreation & Fitness – 6% of degrees
- Physical Sciences – 4% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Pacific Lutheran University?
78.0% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1168 on the SAT.
How much does Pacific Lutheran University cost?
The average net price after grants is $19,589 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $52,254 and the full cost of attendance is $62,459.
How much do Pacific Lutheran University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $66,990 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
69% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Tacoma
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Community College Tacoma, WA · Public · 4,668 students |
$8,376 | — | 32% | $47,168 |
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA · Public · 4,185 students |
$10,163 | 83% | 63% | $78,466 |
| Bates Technical College Tacoma, WA · Public · 1,813 students |
$6,292 | — | 43% | $50,051 |
| University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofit · 1,594 students |
$38,394 | 72% | 68% | $69,594 |
| UEI College-Tacoma Tacoma, WA · Private for-profit · 689 students |
$36,850 | — | 58% | $30,848 |
| Faith International University Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofit · 276 students |
$22,662 | — | 25% | $51,006 |
| Northwest College of Art & Design Tacoma, WA · Private for-profit · 139 students |
$16,418 | 66% | 58% | $31,167 |
| Summit Salon Academy Tacoma, WA · Private for-profit · 138 students |
$25,471 | — | 59% | $31,648 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.